Wishful thinking. Having the draft did not keep us out of Vietnam (or the escalation). Eighteen yearolds have no influence on military policy and their parents buy the patriotic fervor. I am thankful that we dont have the draft and my son did not have to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. I wish it were more difficult to wage war, not easier.
IIRC, the wealthy were able to stay out of Vietnam by going to college. Perhaps if the children of the influential were drafted as well, things might be different. Then again, knowing this country, any law reinstating the draft would not be complete without a loophole for the wealthy.
Anyone got a college deferment, but were drafted afterward unless they were in an essential occupation, which did not exempt doctors, lawyers, and most professions. One way to get out of ground combat was to volunteer for the Navy or Air Force. I managed to string it out for 4 years, but was finally saved only by the lottery.
Of course, but back then, it was an indirect way of keeping the children of the wealthy out of harm's way, as manufacturing still had a big presence in the US. Rather than going to college, the children of the middle class/poor went to work in factories after high school, and so they could be sent to war.
> were drafted afterward unless they were in an essential occupation
That's good to know. Were there any other loopholes used by the wealthy (there must have been some)?
